Solar heater.



T. P. NICHOLS.

SOLAR HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, 1911.

19O14,9?2, Patented Jan.16,1912.

. tion, and which can be installed at small.

. ijheater which is especially adapted for use in hot' arid countries as a means for gener- -at-ing steamfor operatlng various machinii A SOLAR HEATER.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 16, 1912.

' Application filed June 28, 1911. Serial No. 635,831.

following is a specification.

This invention relates to a system for utilizing solar energy, and particularly pertains to an apparatus for ralsing the temperature of water or other liquids in a series of steps by means of the suns rays, so as to generate or aid in the generation of steam for power purposes.

It is the object of this invention to provide'an apparatus of the above character, which is simple in construction andoperacost. 7'

A further object is to provlde a solar cry, and which is particularly adapted to .be used in conjunction with ordinary steam boilers to assist in the generation of steam, and, when sufliciently hot, to perm1t of the ,boiler fires being extinguished altogether,-

thus economizing' fuel costs.

A further object is. to provide a solar heater having a high degree of efficiency,

and which is capable of adjustment so that it will bear a constant relative position to the sun as the latter varies its position during its travel across the heavens.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts,

i "as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompany- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a cross section on line XX Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross section on line Y-Y Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a modified form of the inven tion.

-In the drawings A represents the outer walls of a preliminary heating tank, which is here shown as having a wooden bottom B, above which is disposed a thin metal plate -2, spaced a short distance from the bottom B to form a shallow water-tight space? therebeneath, which space is connected .to a

' water supply pipe 4, through which water is delivered to the space 3 beneath the plate 2 in any suitablemanner and from any desired source. The upper end of the tank A is tightly sealed with a plate of glass 5, which is disposed some distance from the metallicplate 2 to form a dead-air space within the tank A between the glass plate 5 and the metallic plate 2. The tank A is preferably disposed at an incline so that the suns rays will be directed upon the. late 2 nearly perpendicular thereto.

Leading from one upper corner of the space 3 in the tank A is a pipe 6, which leads to the feed opening of a force pump C, the discharge opening of which connects with a flexible tubing 6, leading to and connecting with a generating pipe 7. The generating pipe .7 enters a rectangular, rocking frame 8 and passes backward and forward therein in parallel sections, finally passing out of the frame 8 near its upper end and terminating in, a flexibletube 9. Thistube 9 may lead to any desired point of discharge, but is here shown as connected to the steam space of a boiler 10, which boiler is here shown as'that vof the ordinary fire tube type arranged over thexusual fire-box 11.

Within the frame 8 is a series of arabolic mirrors 12, which are disposed beneath the long, parallel sections of the generating pipe 7, and are designed to collect the suns rays and focus them upon the several long sections of the generating pipe 7. The upper portion of the frame8 is covered with a glass plate 13 so as to form dead-aircham' here between the glass plate 13 and the mirrors 12 in which the generating pipe 7 is inclosed. The mirrors 12 are preferably disposed with their longitudinal axes extending east and west, and'the frame 8 is mounted on a rocking-shaft 1A supported in suitable bearings 15, which shaft is designed to be rotated by means of a worm gear 16 on a driving shaft'l'? from any suitable source of power; the speed and direction of rotation of the shaft 17 being such as to maintain the mirrors in such relation to the sun that the rays of the latter reflecting from the mirrors 12 at different hours off the day will be focused upon the pi e 7 If desired,,the para olic mirrors 12 may bemounted 'separately, as shown in Fig. 4,

and extending. north and south. In this instance they are mounted in a rocking frame 18 with the pipe 7 acting as an axis, and are rotated on the generating pipe 7 from east to west by-means of worm cars 16 meshing with the' gears on a driving-shaft 17 In operation Water is admitted to the space 3 through the pipe 4, and is drawn off through the pipe 6 by means of the force pump 0, which pump forces the water through the generating pipe 7 at a pressure event the water or steam is delivered to the.

equal to that of the back pressure of the steam in the boiler 10f The water inclosed in the space 3 is heated by the action of the suns rays on the plate 2, so that when it enters the generating pipe 7 it is partially warmed. The heat generated by the suns rays being focused on the pipe 7 by the action of the series of to convert the water in the pipe 7 into steam during certain periods of the day, which steam is discharged into the boiler 10 from whence it may be drawn off and used as required.

A check valve 20 may be disposed at any suitable point in the pipe leading to the boiler 10 to prevent back-pressure from the boiler 10 to the solar heater.

It is obvious that the solar heater will operate to generate steam only during certain hours of the-day and when the heat of the suns rays is intense. At such times the fires in the fire-box 11 may be reduced or extinguished and at other times the solar heater merely acts' to heat the Water before it is delivered to the boiler 10.

The water being primarily heated in the tank A, is brought to a higher temperature in the generating pipe 7, and may be converted into steam in the latter; in either boiler 10 to be further employed as desired,

from which it will be seen that the water is;

5 prising a force pump, a generator pipe into 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patf ent, is-

1. In a solar steam generator, the combination of a preliminary water heating tank adapted to be acted on by the suns rays, means for admitting water thereto and discharging it therefrom, a generator pipe which receives the water from the preliminary heater, a series of parabolic mirrors arranged to focus the suns rays on said generator pipe, and means for adjusting the position of the mirrors to correspond with changes of the suns position.

2. In a solar steam generator, the combination of a preliminary water heating tank adapted to be acted on by the sunsrays and having a shallow water receiving space, said space'covered with a thin metal plate, means for admitting water to said tank, means for discharging it therefrom, a genmirrors 12 is sufficient erator pipe which receives the water from and a series of para-.

the preliminary heater, bolic mirrors arranged to focus the suns rays on said generator pipe. I

V 3. In a'solar steam generator, the comb1 nation of a preliminary Water heating tank adapted to be acted on by the suns rays and having a shallow water receiving space, said space covered with a thin metal plate, an inclosed space above said metal plate, a plate of glass covering said space, means for admitting water dischargin it therefrom, a generator pipe which IGCGIVGS the water from the preliminary heater, and a series of parabolic mirrors arranged to focus the suns rays on said generator pipe.

4. In a solar steam generator, the combito said tank, means for nation of a preliminary water heating tank 1 adapted to be acted UPOILbY the suns rays' and having a shallow water receiving space,

said space covered with a thin metal plate, a plate of glass disposed above said metal plate and spaced therefrom and. incased to form an inclosed space above said plate,

means for admitting water to the tank,

means for discharging it therefrom, comprising a force pump, a generator pipe into which the heated water is discharged by the force pump, a series of parabolic mirrors arranged to focus the suns rays on said generator pipe, and means for adjusting the position of the mirrors.

5. In a solar steam generator, the combi-' nation of a preliminary water heating tank adapted to be acted upon by the suns rays and having a shallow water receiving space, said space covered with a thin metal plate, a plate of glass disposed above'said metal plate and spaced therefrom and incased to form an inclosed space above said plate, means for admitting water to the tank, means for discharging it therefrom, comwhich the heated water is discharged by the force pump, a series of parabolic mirrors arranged to focus the suns rays on said generator pipe, said mirrors mounted on a rocking frame and inclosed therein,,said rocking frame, a plate of glass on said frame disposed above said mirrors and generator pipe forming a dead air space between-said mirrors and said last named plate of glass, and means for adjusting the position of the rocking frame. a

6. In a solar steam generator, the combination of a preliminary water heating lankadapted to be acted upon by the suns rays and having a shallow water receiving space,

prising a force pump, a generator pipe into Which'the heated Water is discharged by the force pump, a series of parabolic mirrors arranged to focus the suns rays on said generator pipe, said mirrors mounted on a rocking frame and inclosed therein, said rocking frame, a plate of glass on said frame disposed above said mirrors and generator pipe forming a dead air space between said 10 mirrors and said last named plate of glass,

means for adjusting the position of the rocking frame, a steam boiler, and means connecting the generator pipe to said boiler.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing 15 Witnesses.

THOMAS F. NICHOLS. Witnesses;

ROBERT E. VAN BERGEN,

E. A. THORNTON. 

